'Speaking Our Stories' During Mental Health Awareness Month

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logos of all four ERGs hosting the event

Join several employee resource groups for “Speaking Our Stories III” on Thursday, May 4. Panelists will speak about trauma, mental health and acceptance. The event will be held on Teams from noon to 1 p.m.

The virtual lunch and learn is hosted by the Middle Eastern Employee Resource Group along with the County of San Diego Filipino-American Employee Association, the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees and the Emerging Workforce Association. Register for the event today!

MC

  • Dr. Kimberly Giardina, Director of Child and Family Well-Being

Moderators

  • Mandana Beheshti with the Department of Public Works

  • Rouya Rasoulzadeh with Planning & Development Services

Speakers

  • Jennifer Hart with Probation

  • Davinder Kaur with HHSA

  • Revannah Restua with HHSA

  • anonymous speaker

See the flyer below.

Attend AAACE Induction Ceremony

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Please join the African American Association of County Employees for an Induction Ceremony to introduce their new Board Members!

Date: Friday, April 21
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.
Location: 5560 Overland Ave., 1st Floor, Training Room 171

Order of Ceremony
Welcome Remarks and Introductions - Mariah Williams
Greetings from the CAO's Office - Natalia Bravo
Keynote Speaker - Andrew Strong
Message from Outgoing President - Dr. Keisha Clark
Closing Remarks - Taryell Simmons

Current Board
President: Kalia Kincade
Vice President: Tahaiti Tinsley
Treasurer: Cynthia Williams
Secretary: Nikki Horton
Vice Chair of Professional Development: Ronald Mason
Vice Chair of Membership: Marget Vonner-Smith
Vice Chair of Student Outreach: Kennedy Payne

Refreshments will be served.

See the flyer below.

Enjoy the Perks of Retirement Now with RESDC

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Why daydream about your retirement, when you can start taking advantage now of the many perks the Retired Employees of San Diego County (RESDC) has to offer its 8,000+ members.

RESDC Executive Director Mark Nanzer said it is an organization dedicated to advocating for retiree interests and providing pertinent information and services for its members and active employees, too!

“Our goal is to watch over and protect the interests of County employees and retirees, and ensure they stay connected and informed,” Nanzer said.

So, if you want to start planning for your retirement today, read up on what RESDC offers members:

Discounts: A variety of discounts are available to members including trust and estate planning services, tickets to movie theaters and amusement parks and for those with a sweet tooth -- See’s Candies!

Events and Social Activities: RESDC hosts a summer Flag Day celebration, an autumn health fair and picnic, and a holiday luncheon each year. The organization also holds general meetings highlighting relevant retiree issues through professional speakers including representatives from San Diego County Employees Retirement Association (SDCERA).

Advocacy and Representation: RESDC is not to be confused with SDCERA, which administers retirement and associated benefits for eligible employees of the County. RESDC also works closely with the Board of Supervisors and statewide county retiree associations on behalf of retirees.

Benefits: Once you retire, RESDC offers group benefits including dental and vision programs, travel insurance, pet insurance, life insurance, legal services and hearing aids. As SDCERA no longer offers dental insurance plans, a membership in RESDC provides an opportunity to review the competitively priced dental HMO and PPO plans offered by RESDC.

Volunteer Opportunities: Because some retirees are more active than ever, RESDC also helps connect members with volunteer opportunities at various nonprofit community-based organizations.

Informed: RESDC distributes a monthly newsletter to keep members up to date on actions of the SDCERA Board of Retirement, pertinent legislation, upcoming meetings and activities. The newsletter—The NETWORK—is available in print and online. Plus, the organization is on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Membership is $5 per month or $60 per year. For more information on becoming a member or the benefits that RESDC provides, visit resdc.net or call 866-688-9229.

Celebrating Inclusion at Jay's Program Graduation

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A recent graduation ceremony celebrated a class of interns from Jay’s Program, a County program that provides on-the-job training for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Five interns from the inclusive program were recognized for their contributions at the County Operations Center on March 28, marking the completion of their 6-month, part-time paid internship with the County in partnership with PRIDE Industries, San Diego Regional Center and GT Independence.

Jay’s Program is designed to help participants improve their job skills and increase opportunities for future employment. The program includes bi-weekly trainings, PRIDE Industries job coach support and County department mentors. The program also allows participating County departments to expand their perspective on inclusivity and belonging in the workplace. 

The graduates were Riley Allison, Katie Bonnett, Jordan Fabula, Stefan Guzman and Brian La.

PerkSpot: Ring in Spring Savings

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Is it time for a little spring cleaning? Check out these discounts designed to help you save big and freshen up your home, garden and outdoor experiences for this spring season.

PerkSpot offers benefits and deals through more than 400 service providers and retailers. Find discounts on home and garden decor, food delivery and grills. Go to SDCounty.PerkSpot.com and shop.

Score Free Tickets to San Diego Legion Rugby Game When Team Will Become Live Well San Diego Partner!

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Photo Courtesy: San Diego Legion

Enjoy a fun day out with coworkers at a San Diego Legion Rugby game while celebrating the San Diego Legion Rugby team and the San Diego Legion Community Foundation being proclaimed Live Well San Diego Partners!

The San Diego Legion Rugby team invites County employees and their families to their 1 p.m. game on April 16 at Snapdragon Stadium. Employees can register for two free tickets (first come, first served)! Come and enjoy a day out with fellow employees and supporters of the Live Well San Diego vision, as the San Diego Legion takes on the Chicago Hounds and celebrate “Earth Day” at the game!

Follow these steps to get tickets.

Step 1: Reserve your tickets by end of day April 13. If you do not have a PerkSpot account, sign up! You will also be prompted to sign into a Google account to reserve tickets.

Step 2: With the same email you used to reserve tickets, sign up at am.ticketmaster.com/sdlegion/.

Step 3: On April 14, check back at am.ticketmaster.com/sdlegion to see if you received tickets (tickets are first come, first served). Access your tickets in the “Manage Tickets” section. If you do not see tickets in the Manage Tickets section, all tickets have been claimed.

During the halftime, the County will recognize the San Diego Legion and the San Diego Legion Community Foundation with a Live Well San Diego partner proclamation from the San Diego County Board of Supervisors! The proclamation underscores both organizations’ commitment to advancing the Live Well San Diego vision of a region that is Building Better Health, Living Safely and Thriving.

Come early to check out the Live Well San Diego booth to receive resources and other items from the Department of Homeless Solutions & Equitable Communities (while supplies last), along with booths from other County departments and partners.

See you on the 16th!

If you have questions, please email hhsa.communities@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Access Changes at County’s Cedar Kettner Parking Structure

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Please see the information below regarding upcoming changes that will impact entry to the County’s Cedar Kettner parking structure.

Architectural rendering of Kettner Crossing.- AVRP Studios, Inc.

What is happening?

Construction of the Kettner Crossing affordable housing development will begin soon. When completed, the structure will provide approximately 64 new affordable homes for seniors. To maintain safety during the 18-month construction project the access to the Cedar Kettner parking garage will change.

When is it happening?

Beginning on Monday, April 24, 2023, the Kettner Boulevard garage entrance will be closed through October 2024. For the period of the closure, both entry and exit access to the structure will be from Cedar Street (see map).

Tips for navigating the transition.

During peak hours, entry to and exit from the garage may be delayed due to train and trolley traffic, fire station activity, and/or traffic congestion on Cedar Street.

As you plan ahead for using the parking structure during the Kettner entrance closure, here are some strategies to consider:

Thank you in advance for your patience over the period of construction. Kettner Crossing is one of many projects in development intended to address San Diego County’s housing affordability crisis.

To address that crisis, the County is creating a roadmap to help guide our ongoing response. The resulting Housing Blueprint will lay out the goals, objectives and strategies the County will follow to maximize our resources, balance priorities and ensure the steps we take to meet San Diego’s housing needs align with our core values of integrity, belonging, excellence, access, sustainability and equity.

For more information on the parking structure entrance closure, please contact CedarKettnerParking@sdcounty.ca.gov and/or visit our webpage for project updates.

CAO Message: We Have No Tolerance for Sexual Harassment

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A message from Chief Administrative Officer Helen Robbins-Meyer:

Most of you are aware of recent events that have put the topic of sexual harassment in the workplace back in the spotlight.

I want all employees to hear from me directly, in no uncertain terms: we have no tolerance for sexual harassment here. Zero.

I want that message understood and reinforced at every level of the organization. I’m delivering it to my executive team, and I expect them to pass it to their direct reports, and so forth, until it reaches every single employee. If you run a staff meeting, you need to put it on the agenda and discuss it. Everyone needs to get the message, and if it comes from multiple angles, that’s fine. Our County culture allows no room for sexual harassment.

Part of that message is that each of you has the right to speak up if you’ve been the target of harassment or misconduct. To speak up without fear of repercussion. To have your concerns taken seriously and followed up on according to the robust County policies we have in place.

Not only do you have the right, I encourage you to speak up if there’s a problem. And if you witness an instance of harassment, you have an obligation to report it. 

People subjected to this kind of misconduct often struggle with whether to say anything. They don’t want to be disruptive or they’re afraid of consequences, especially if the harasser is in a more powerful position. I don’t want anyone to think they need to stay silent. This organization supports you and an environment free of harassment.

I hope you’re comfortable talking to your supervisor, but if not, go to your upper management or your director. If you don’t feel that’s an option, talk to your department’s human resources representative or call the Department of Human Resources at 619-531-5100. You can also use the County’s Ethics Hotline, either by calling (866) 549-0004 or filing a complaint online. Whatever avenue works best for you, please report it.

The County has put a lot of thought and effort into developing sexual harassment prevention trainings. We want them to have real impact. We have one training all employees are required to take and a separate one required for anyone who supervises staff. I urge you to pay close attention and really think about the scenarios presented. My hope is you never experience any of those behaviors. But we keep getting reminders that these things do happen, and we need everyone prepared to respond.  

I want this to be a great place to work. I ask that we at the County all raise our awareness, vigilance and openness on the topic so that sexual harassment never finds a place here, and we foster a culture where employees can reach their full potential.